Traditional Homemaking Skills - Page 23

[flowers]

I love that apron post. thank you for sharing!

Originally Posted by mimid

I bought my own Hanukkah gifts this year. (Dh was so happy because he usually just clicks on the links I give him but is always worried he is making a mistake.) I got some yarn for a sweater for me, an ice cream maker (for my KA), a big rice cooker and this. i LOVE my mop!

I have had my eye on that mop for a few years but wanted to hear that someone loved it. Right now we are on our hands and knees using viegar and water on our bamboo, but oh, wouldn't that be lovely!

[marimara]

Welcome to all the new THMers! Happy Holidays! I received a homemaking gift too, though not as cool as yours. My grandma gave me a pretty vintage sewing basket. I'll take a pic later if I remember. Happy New Year!

[Jenivere]

I want that mop too! I also get down on hands and knees to mop our bamboo floors but it's really hard for me to do right now and I know I won't feel like doing it post partum.

[SquishyBuggles]

LOVE the apron post!

I also got a stand mixer for Christmas. Not a KA but I love it all the same! Happy holidays to you all!

[boigrrrlwonder]

Originally Posted by Tangled Hill

You know, I just add all the other "home" things, too - homeschooling, homebirthing, home-churching, etc.

Home-churching? I've never heard of that...

BTW, I've gotten really behind on this thread, but whoever posted their picture of their home management binder, I"M SO JEALOUS! Like seriously, I started one, kind of was laying papers into it since I didn't have the cash for a whole puncher and the library's was broken for some reason, had a toddler go through it, and now it's a mess. Really want to get it set up for the new year.

[boigrrrlwonder]

Originally Posted by 1littlebit

all your blogs are so great! i wish i could do one! lol. so do any of you not have a yard? i would really love to grow some of our food next spring but we are i an apt. would i be able to do that?

oo and any suggestions for houseplants that will stay alive in spite of me? lol

Okay, I know this is an old question, but have you considered checking out park district programs? I live in an apartment (boo hiss) that has no yard. But within walking distance they have community gardens. We use that. It sucks in that I can't plant something like asparagus or strawberries. But at least it's *something*.

[IntuitiveJamie]

Sorry I haven't been keeping up. I'm having my usual holiday let down where I'm just exhausted. Completely spent. Only my BFF has been visiting so I haven't been able to decompress like normal. Instead I went right into hostessing and now my sons 3rd birthday is tomorrow. THEN I'll be able to chill...I hope.
Although I have to say I have much planned for the new year. This is the year I begin homeschooling my son. He's young but I'm homeschooling Montessori style. I have much to learn, much to make and just much to do...as usual I'm very excited about this venture.
Anyhow I'll be checking in occasionally. But in the meantime I hope everyone has a great start to the New Year!!

[IntuitiveJamie]

HAPPY NEW YEARS MAMAS!:

[~Boudicca~]

Originally Posted by takebirthback

HAPPY NEW YEARS MAMAS!:

nak

thank you! you too!

[gromero]

Happy New Years mamas!!!

Sorry I haven't been around....the crazyness of the holidays is just starting to settle down, thankfully.

Dh and I do not give each other gifts on Christmas. What we usually do is with our tax return is besides put some into savings, pay for whatever things we have been putting off (like this year...we will buy everyone new bedding; 2 sets each including pillows....3 kids plus our bed and a guest bed, lol it gets kinda expensive), we split the difference and it is our mad money. I am sooo torn on what I want to get. Last year I spent about $500 updating kitchen things and I was planning on doing the same thing this year. Buuuuttt.....I realllllllly want a new DLSR camera, spefically the Nikon D60 with a new lens to go with it. If I got new kitchen stuff, I would more then likey get all new cups for the kitchen, new cast iron pans, hmmm....and a few things from my all time favorite store Williams-Sonoma :. What would you mamas do?

[Tangled Hill]

Originally Posted by boigrrrlwonder

Home-churching? I've never heard of that...

We're not religious at all, but I had read an article about home churching a few years back. It piqued my interest, and it made me consider all the things people are doing at home. The homeschooling movement is growing by leaps and bounds, homebirthing is taking off more and more (though the spell checker still doesn't recognize it), working from home has become routine, homesteading is becoming more and more normal, etc. I love the idea of the home being the center of a family's world, and I'm all for eschewing bog box mindsets.

Anyway, I just looked up home churching to make sure I was remembering the movement correctly. Here's an example of what I found, for anyone who's interested: Christian Home Church Network

[marimara]

My dd received a Klean Kanteen sippy for Christmas from her very generous grandparents and I wanted something to cover it since it's so cold in the winter. So I looked up online and found this http://miraclesanddreams.blogspot.co...n-kanteen.html This recipe calls for double crochets but I used only single crochets for a tighter weave.

A crocheted KK cover! I made this in like 30 minutes using a wool/blend chunky yarn I had leftover. However, since I don't know how to read crochet patterns the right way, I kinda made up my own directions, just using that website as a guide.

I crocheted 5 cs (chain stitches), connected them into a loop. Then did 2 sc in each loop until I came all the way around. Then I did 1 sc in one loop and then 2 sc in the next, alternating like this for 2 more rounds (till it was as big as the bottom of the Klean Kanteen). Then I just did single crochets (sc) all the way around till it was tall enough (I actually deleted 4 stitches about half way up because I thought it was too fat ) Then when it was tall enough I looped in a large hair elastic. I don't know how to describe how I did it, but maybe this will work: I just layed the hair elastic against the next loop and sc around (over) it. Does that make any sense? If you do it yourself you will know what I am talking about. Well, anyhoo, it came out awesome! It was soooo easy and I don't even know much about crocheting!

[Aubergine68]

Originally Posted by tumblingstar

A crocheted KK cover! I made this in like 30 minutes using a wool/blend chunky yarn I had leftover.

Thanks for posting! I so need to do something like this for our family KKs
I just cut my hair short so I even have superfluous hair elastics to declutter!

[gromero]

Hope everyone is doing good...it's been kinda quiet around here.

Does anyone else still have their tree or Christmas stuff up? I was supposed to take mine down today, but some last minute things popped up and I wound up being gone from 8am-8pm, so it looks like it will have to wait until this Wednesday.

I am *almost* done with my Valentines day shopping though!! I was at Target on Friday and I saw in their dollar bin these cute little mail boxes and pails, so I picked up a pail and mail box for each kid. In the pails I plan on putting their candy in, and in the mail boxes I am putting some stamps, stickers, pencils, (for dd a ring, rubber bands for her hair, lip gloss and some little jewlery), chap stick, some pipe cleaners, and I think that *might* be about it, just a few more things for the boys and the baby. I already have Valentines day place mats, so I will set everyone out on the place mats the night before so they will see it right when they wake up. I will more then likely make heart shapped panacakes for breakfast and do a few fun crafts that day with them.

Feels so weird to be Valentines day shopping on Jan. 2! But that is part of my goal this year....to be better organized, shop and plan ahead!

Gotta go....baby waking!

[KathinJapan]

I did my Valentines shopping in August. I go to the states once a year and tend to do a years worth of shopping.
We started crafts already.
Today we made patchwork cards, the idea was from Kids Craft Weekly Valentines edition 2008. If you google you will get the link. Will be doing more as the month wears on. It is the younger one`s birthday on Jan 31st. so will also be making some party decorations. Kindergarten is on holiday until the 19th, so gotta do something fun! I have a bit of work in there, but still lots of days at home to do fun crafty baking things. Today we also baked a pie.

Kathryn

[marimara]

Yeah, I already took down the Christmas decorations too. I went to Target the other day (speaking of ) and they had Christmas stuff at 75% off and I stocked up for next year! Got some really cute stuff! I also redecorated the house! I tend to redecorate once a year and I got the bug early this year. Normally I do it in spring but I started a new med and I think it's tweaking my brain, I'm not finished though. I just got some prints made and want to get some framed of my lovely dd. Those are always the best decorations

I got some great new houseplants the other day, dracaena or Dragon Tree, for my dining room. Looks like this: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...US303%26sa%3DN

I've also been working on my dd's baby book, her birthday book, and her photo album. My next goal is to do some more paintings so that I can get my Etsy store up and running.

What has everyone else been up to lately and what are your goals?

[IntuitiveJamie]

Originally Posted by tumblingstar

My dd received a Klean Kanteen sippy for Christmas from her very generous grandparents and I wanted something to cover it since it's so cold in the winter. So I looked up online and found this http://miraclesanddreams.blogspot.co...n-kanteen.html This recipe calls for double crochets but I used only single crochets for a tighter weave.

A crocheted KK cover! I made this in like 30 minutes using a wool/blend chunky yarn I had leftover. However, since I don't know how to read crochet patterns the right way, I kinda made up my own directions, just using that website as a guide.

I crocheted 5 cs (chain stitches), connected them into a loop. Then did 2 sc in each loop until I came all the way around. Then I did 1 sc in one loop and then 2 sc in the next, alternating like this for 2 more rounds (till it was as big as the bottom of the Klean Kanteen). Then I just did single crochets (sc) all the way around till it was tall enough (I actually deleted 4 stitches about half way up because I thought it was too fat ) Then when it was tall enough I looped in a large hair elastic. I don't know how to describe how I did it, but maybe this will work: I just layed the hair elastic against the next loop and sc around (over) it. Does that make any sense? If you do it yourself you will know what I am talking about. Well, anyhoo, it came out awesome! It was soooo easy and I don't even know much about crocheting!

Thank you so much for this. I have been needing to make a few so bad. It sucks for my kids to get their milk in a freezing cold cup in the morning in the winter. I hate it for them! I haven't made any yet b/c I don't know how to crochet in a circle..I'm fairly new. But I think I can do this. I'll let you know how it goes.

[IntuitiveJamie]

Xmas is gone as of two days after. once it's over I just can't stand for the decorations to be up. I put them up the weekend of Thanksgiving and I'm just so ready for the holidays to be over by the time they are I just take them down. I really can't help myself. It's always been my way.

I have not started anything Valentines yet. I am wanting to be more prepared and get things done a couple months in advance but I'm not sure I'm there yet. I have so much going on already this year, another holiday is at the bottom of the priority list. I'm putting together Montessori homeschooling activities. Painting my new crafting table. Working on my website and my business as it's expanding a lot. I want to get a homebinder together....I'm actually feeling slightly overwhelmed just writing it all down. So I'm really trying to prioritize and take things one day at a time to get it all done. Valentines will prob. come for us the week of this year.

But overall that is my goal is to be ultra prepared and organized that things get done flawlessly in the time they are supposed to without stressing me out. I am very happy 2009 is here as I feel like it is going to be a great year and one in which I am going to grow and learn and improve my life a lot!

[CrunchyDoula]

Originally Posted by takebirthback

Xmas is gone as of two days after. once it's over I just can't stand for the decorations to be up. I put them up the weekend of Thanksgiving and I'm just so ready for the holidays to be over by the time they are I just take them down. I really can't help myself. It's always been my way.

I have not started anything Valentines yet. I am wanting to be more prepared and get things done a couple months in advance but I'm not sure I'm there yet. I have so much going on already this year, another holiday is at the bottom of the priority list. I'm putting together Montessori homeschooling activities. Painting my new crafting table. Working on my website and my business as it's expanding a lot. I want to get a homebinder together....I'm actually feeling slightly overwhelmed just writing it all down. So I'm really trying to prioritize and take things one day at a time to get it all done. Valentines will prob. come for us the week of this year.

But overall that is my goal is to be ultra prepared and organized that things get done flawlessly in the time they are supposed to without stressing me out. I am very happy 2009 is here as I feel like it is going to be a great year and one in which I am going to grow and learn and improve my life a lot!

I feel almost exactly as you describe in your post! I took down Christmas decorations the day after. I just wasn't quite feeling very much in to the holidays this year and was ready to move on.

I also haven't started anything for Valentines day, but I was just looking at a tiny recycled plastic indoor gardening kit at Target for a tiny gift for dd that I'd like to pick up.

Are you a doula? If so how is your business going? You said it was really expanding, what are you doing to help facilitate that? This is the HUGE thing I am working on at the moment. I am re writing up my contract, overhauling my logo and so much more! I need to get my business off the ground and start supplementing our income a bit more.

Today I need to work on organizing my master closet which has my book shelves which house all our papers and books. My home management binder is in there as well and I'd also like to really get that in order for the new year!

I need to call around to the Montessori pre-school and figure out if they offer a scholarship for the tuition. I'd really like to get dd in school a little part time. I wish that I could homeschool, but I'm just not so sure I could.

Well I'm off to get my day started! I'll check back soon!

[SharonAnne]

I'm going to make one of those KK covers for my ginormous water bottle, too

My Christmas stuff is still up, because DD1 is just totally against taking our tree down. "But, mama, it's going to DIE if we don't keep watering it!" Right, and then daddy can burn it in the fire pit and we can roast marshmallows and have smores. Come ON! :

I haven't even thought about Valentine's Day. Except, Kohl's has some really cute table linens that are V themed I was thinking about it, but I needed a new coat more than red and white placemats. :sigh